California's Biotech Industry

California's Biotechnology Industry Will Revolutionize Healthcare and Provide Jobs for the Next Generation

Challenge.

Negative media about cloning, genetically modified food and other controversial issues were tainting the image of the relatively new field of biotechnology, stifling funding, research and the field’s promise of providing jobs and transforming healthcare.

Solution.

Through the California Biotechnology Foundation, a statewide public affairs program was launched that educated elected officials and the media on the biotechnology industry’s contributions to California’s economy as well as the field’s life-saving accomplishments and potential to transform the future of healthcare.

Result.

Legislation detrimental to biotechnology has significantly declined, and the California Biotechnology Foundation has become a trusted source of factual information for media and legislators, helping to shape the public and regulatory dialogue for the industry.

Save California Millions

Key Business, Labor and Healthcare Leaders Work with Legislators to Help Improve Californians' Health

Challenge.

Healthcare advocates, concerned that the steady decline in cigarette smoking among adults is beginning to level off and that the percentage of youths smoking cigarettes is on the rise, want to re-educate smokers, employers and policymakers about the costs of smoking and the benefits of smoking cessation programs.

Solution.

Using guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention as its basis, a statewide outreach campaign was launched utilizing the Internet and traditional and social media to educate target audiences about smoking cessation programs. Events bringing together key stakeholders from healthcare, business and government were developed to strategize how to expand access to smoking cessation programs and save California billions of dollars.

Result.

Legislation specifying health plans and insurers provide smoking cessation benefits to Californians has been introduced. Moreover, some of California’s largest employers are now educating thousands of employees about smoking cessation benefits, local governments are initiating smoking cessation programs for their employees, unions are working with employers to modify benefit plans to offer smoking cessation programs, and advocacy groups are exploring partnerships to provide smoking cessation benefits to employers and government.

Americans for Coordinated Healthcare

Challenge.

As part of healthcare reform, Congress was considering drastic changes to America’s Medicare system which would severely disrupt healthcare benefits for millions of seniors.

Solution.

A national Internet-based advocacy campaign was launched through AmericansForCoordinatedHealthcare.org to give a strong voice to citizens who are concerned with the future of Medicare.

Result.

In California tens of thousands of citizens responded to the campaign, sending 72,000 letters, 41,300 emails and nearly 3,000 personal stories to Congress, helping to shape the national discussion about providing accountable, coordinated healthcare for every American.

Forests for the Next Century

Foresters an Ally in the Fight Against Climate Change

Challenge.

Outdated state and federal forest management policies have left forests on federal land unhealthy and susceptible to firestorms, which are a major contributor to global climate change. Moreover, stereotypes about the forest industry have made policy changes next to impossible.

Solution.

To educate elected officials and the public on how outdated perceptions of forestry are damaging the environment and threatening public safety, RethinkForests.com was launched to provide third-party scientific research and analysis on sound forest management, how healthy forests are essential to the protection of the environment, and what the role of the modern forest industry should be in that process.

Result.

Policymakers and the public now understand how properly managed forests can be an asset in the fight for a healthier environment, outdated public policies that limit modern forest management on federal land are being revisited and foresters, instead of being viewed as an obstacle, are now recognized as an integral part of the solution.

California's High-Speed Train

Challenge.

The federal government was awarding $8 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment (ARRA) funds to high-speed intercity rail projects, and California's application was in but competitive applications from other high-speed rail projects threatened to minimize the amount of award California sought.

Solution.

A high-octane media campaign targeting key members of Congress and high-profile media outlets was launched to tell the story of the great progress of California's high-speed rail project and demonstrate why California's project deserved to receive the bulk of the ARRA funds and become the nation's first true high-speed rail system.

Result.

The campaign generated dozens of interviews, educational articles and supportive op-eds and editorials in media outlets across California and the nation, as well as mobilizing over 120 business and environmental organizations to send letters of support to Congress and the federal government and unleashing a prolific cadre of bloggers who evangelized the project's merits to the online universe. And when the awards were announced, California's high-speed rail project received $2.3 billion, more than any other state in the nation.

Yes on Proposition 1A

California Voters Approve Initial Funding for Largest Transportation Infrastructure Project in the Nation

Challenge.

With an exponentially growing population threatening the state's environment, transportation infrastructure and quality of life, how do you convince Californians - during a depressed economy - that the state needs to invest in its future by building a $42 billion high-speed rail system?

Solution.

A statewide outreach campaign was launched to educate the media and key opinion leaders from business, labor and environmental organizations about the benefits high-speed rail would bring to California's economy, environment and future and that a bond measure was the key to building the project.

Result.

California's voters demonstrated that a high-speed train was indeed a priority for them, passing a $9.95 billion bond measure to build an 800-mile system that would take riders from San Francisco to Los Angeles in less than 2 hours and 40 minutes at speeds of up to 220 mph.